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May 2016

(Brad Davis/The Register-Herald) Former music teacher Eunice B. Fleming (speaking at left), generates a number of smiles and laughs as she gives a few words of thanks and reflects on her teaching years after being named one of six honorees during Second Baptist Church's "A Night of Music," honoring those who've made significant contributions to musical education throughout the area Saturday night at the "F" Street church. Holding the mic for her is Xavier Oglesby (far left), one of her students when he was all-county chorus in 1985. Now 93, Fleming began her teaching career at the all black DuBois School in Mt. Hope as the faculty's youngest member in 1944 and continued there through its integration for many decades. In 1957 she became the first black person to give a master's recital at Marshall University and in 1973 became the first black person to sing at the school's commencement ceremony. After severeal decades of teaching and service at various churches, she retired as the community choir director of the New River Associates of the West Virginia Baptist Church at the age of 90. The five other honorees were former mayor Emmett Pugh, Betty Hughes, Rayfus Parham, Denise Seay and Helen Dobson.